KUANTAN, 18 March 2009: Paya Besar Umno today asked Pahang Menteri Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob to step down as Pahang Umno chief in taking responsibility over Umno’s disciplinary board finding four of the division’s leaders to have violated the party’s code of ethics.

Its head Datuk Ahmad Tajuddin Sulaiman claimed that the division had witnesses who could vouch that the actions of the four were masterminded by Adnan himself.

“Paya Besar Umno wishes to record its disappointment with the Pahang Umno chief in this matter and is of the opinion that he should take responsibility and step down from the position,” he said in a statement faxed to Bernama here today.

Meanwhile, Adnan advised Pahang Umno members found guilty by the board to be more careful in future to avoid a similar tragedy happening to them. In a statement texted to Bernama on the short-messaging-system here today, he said what happened to them was a sad day for Pahang Umno but stressed that they were punished over ethics matters and not for crimes.

“Nevertheless, the decision of the disciplinary board must be respected.

“I further wish to reiterate that the punishment meted out to the Paya Besar MP and the assemblypersons of Sungai Lembing (Md Sohaimi), Lepar (Mohd Shohaimi) and Panching (Mohd Zaili) was not because of money politics but because they had organised and participated in meetings in their effort to discharge their duties as elected representatives during the polls for the division last year,” he added.